Chapter 11 - The Green-Eyed Monster
It was Friday, and from Adagio’s perspective, the week had gone by at a blistering pace. Her professors had mostly given up on teaching any new material, instead focusing on review for the upcoming exams. The students – Aria and Sonata excluded – were buckling down more than ever, and a sense of tension could be felt hanging over the school like a thick fog. If Adagio failed these exams, she would be kicked out of Crystal Prep Academy, and every single one of her plans would come crashing down around her. It was overwhelming, and without the help of Twilight Sparkle, Adagio didn’t think she would have been able to make it through.
All of which made it even more perplexing that today, just three days before midterms were scheduled to begin, Twilight Sparkle had just invited her to a party.
“A party?” asked Adagio, looking at Twilight in disbelief.
Adagio had never met anyone quite like Twilight Sparkle in her life (although one could certainly argue that the other Twilight Sparkle fell into this category), but never in a thousand years would she have considered her a ‘party girl’. Twilight was, well, a dork. A bookworm. The type of person who would avoid a party when they had nothing else to do, let alone when something extremely important loomed on the horizon. It just didn’t make any sense, and from the look on Twilight’s face, Adagio’s concerns weren’t entirely unfounded.
The smile Twilight wore was just a little too forced and her eyes held a nervousness that Adagio hadn’t seen in them since their encounter with the Rainbooms at the mall. Adagio placed her hands on her hips and cocked an eyebrow.
“I don’t buy it.”
“W-what do you mean?” stammered Twilight.
“Twilight Sparkle, the model student, does not simply decide to just ‘go to a party’ with midterms around the corner. In fact, I don’t think you have an impulsive bone in your body!”
“I can be impulsive!” argued Twilight. “Just last week I went to the bookstore to buy one book, and instead I bought three!”
Adagio simply stared at Twilight, who fidgeted uncomfortably beneath her gaze. It didn’t take long before she finally broke.
“Fine,” said Twilight, looking at her shoes, the walls, the ceiling – anywhere at all to avoid looking at Adagio. “Apparently it’s some sort of Canterlot High tradition to have a party before exams. Honestly, I think everyone might be better off taking the time to study – and ‘tradition’ is a term Pinkie Pie takes pretty loosely – but...” Twilight trailed off, having apparently lost her train of thought. “...I’m not doing a very good job selling this, am I?”
Adagio could barely believe her ears. “A Canterlot High party?”
Twilight winced. “Well, it’s not exactly a Canterlot High party. I mean, most of the people there will be from Canterlot High, but that doesn’t necessarily mean–”
“No.”
“But–”
“No,” insisted Adagio.
“Will you just hear me out?” asked Twilight.
Another ‘no’ danced on the tip of Adagio’s tongue, but she managed to suppress it. Something about the way Twilight had asked to be heard – not demanded or fought – inclined Adagio to at least listen to what she had to say. Besides, there was no way Twilight would convince her that this was not the worst idea she had ever heard, so what could be the harm? She motioned for Twilight to continue.
“Okay,” said Twilight, rewarding Adagio with a smile. “So, yes, exams are coming up in a few days, but taking a night off can impact stress levels, which in turn affects academic performance. Studies show that–”
“Studies?” interrupted Adagio. “Did you study for a conversation about getting me to take a break from studying?”
Twilight puffed out her cheeks in an adorable expression of frustration. “The point is, you’re not going to fail your exams because you took a night off. We’ve been working to catch you up for two weeks, and the progress you’ve made is, frankly, incredible. I’m really, really proud of you.”
Adagio felt the blush creep into her cheeks. “I’ve had a great tutor,” she said.
“Thanks,” said Twilight, her smile returning, “but don’t undervalue the effort you’ve put in. You’ve more than earned a break before you put your nose to the grindstone on Monday.”
While it was certainly heartening to hear Twilight sing her praises, she was missing the crux of the issue.
“Twilight Sparkle, it isn’t the exams that I’m worried about” – not entirely, anyway – “it’s the party. I don’t exactly want to spend my Friday night with a bunch of people who hate me, and I’m pretty sure the feeling is mutual.”
“We’ve talked about this. My friends don’t hate you, and you might be surprised how willing the students of Canterlot High are to forgive the antics of magical megalomaniacs.”
Adagio stared at Twilight with an expression so blank that even Sugarcoat would look at her in envy. “Did you just call me a ‘magical megalomaniac’?”
The color drained from Twilight’s face. “I didn’t mean it like that! I just liked the alliteration. Sorry.”
Adagio rolled her eyes. “It’s fine.”
“Anyway, if the CHS students can forgive me, Sunset, and Gloriosa–”
“Who?” interjected Adagio.
Twilight thought for a moment. “...It’s a long story, I’ll tell you about it another time. What I’m trying to say is that I don’t think you need to worry too much about anyone holding a grudge.”
Memories of Rainbow Dash’s threats bubbled forth in Adagio’s mind, but she kept her mouth shut.
“To be honest, I don’t really want to go to the party, either. I love my friends, but a house filled with loud teenagers isn’t exactly my idea of a good time. I just thought that, if you were there, we could keep each other company.” Twilight looked at the floor and shuffled her feet. “Besides, I want to spend more time with you outside this room, and a party seemed like a good excuse.”
Adagio bit her lip. It was one thing to be adored by those under the influence of her magic, but another thing entirely to be wanted by someone under their own free will. It was strange to think that, when faced with the prospect of being surrounded by her friends and classmates, Twilight would be happier to have Adagio there with her. Even stranger was the fact that some small part of Adagio wanted to go.
“How about this: if you come with me tonight, we’ll get together Sunday afternoon and study as much as you want, we can even order food and make a day of it! Not only will it be fun, but, more importantly, it’ll be educational!”
“Twilight Sparkle, are you trying to bribe me?”
Twilight tapped the tips of her index fingers together. “Is it working?”
Adagio sighed. She knew she’d have to see the Rainbooms again at some point, although she’d hoped to put it off long as possible. She told herself that the sacrifice of a few more hours of her life, painful as it may be, would be worth it to be a few steps closer to gaining their trust (and therefore keeping them from meddling in her plans), but that wasn’t the entire truth. If she was being honest with herself, she would have realized that she just didn’t have it in her to look into Twilight’s eyes and tell her ‘no’.
“...I can’t go to a Canterlot High party in a Crystal Prep uniform.”
It was a flimsy excuse and both of them knew it. A grin worked itself across Twilight’s face.
“Shiney is giving me a ride, we can drive by Crystal Prep so you can get changed. We’ll even park down the road so no one sees us!”
Adagio worked her jaw. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
Twilight beamed at her. “Absolutely.”
“If I agree to go to this party, and I haven’t agreed yet, I reserve the right to leave whenever I want.”
Twilight nodded.
“Furthermore, I am under no obligation to have fun.”
Twilight gave her a skeptical look, but nodded again.
“Also, you’ll owe me one.”
A third nod.
Adagio pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger. “Fine,” she said, “I’ll go to the stupid party.”
Twilight launched herself out of her chair, wrapping her arms around Adagio’s neck in a tight embrace. Adagio was too shocked to move, or to react in any way other than to think about how warm and soft Twilight’s skin felt, and about the smell of lavender in her hair. After a few seconds the hug broke, and for a split second, Adagio was reminded of the sensation of when her bandages had been taken off.
“This is going to be great!” she exclaimed with such enthusiasm that Adagio almost believed her. “I’ll give Shiney a call and he’ll come pick us up right now. You won’t regret this!”
Twilight withdrew her phone from her pocket and made for the door to the study room. As she stepped out, Adagio felt a sinking feeling in her gut, and later she would wonder if it had been her body’s way of warning her about what was to come. She knew the party was going to be a disaster, but she didn’t know that the night would end in tears.
The afternoon was beginning its gradual transformation into evening when Shining Armor’s car pulled up in front of Pinkie Pie’s house.
The car held four occupants: Twilight and Shining Armor sitting in the front and Adagio once again sharing the back seat with Spike. Adagio surveyed the house through the window, before giving Twilight a skeptical look.
“This can’t possibly be where Pinkie Pie lives. It’s too… ordinary.”
Twilight laughed, and Spike climbed over Adagio’s legs and propped his legs up on the car door in order to see out the window. “Nope,” he said, his tail wagging. “This is the place! I’d recognize the smell of Pinkie’s baking anywhere.”
Drool began to dribble down Spike’s chin, causing Adagio to recoil away in disgust. He might have been able to talk, but he was still a dog.
“Alright, Twilight,” said Shining Armor, putting on his best big brother voice. “I’ll have my phone on me, so if you need a ride home just give me a call, and text me if you decide to stay over at one of your friend’s houses.”
“I will, Shiney.”
“And if anyone’s drinking–”
“There won’t be any drinking,” said Twilight, cutting him off. “It’s a Pinkie Pie party – the only thing the punch will be spiked with is way too much sugar.”
“I know,” said Shining Armor, “but if they are–”
“I’ll call you,” said Twilight, finishing his sentence for him.
“That’s my girl,” said Shining Armor. Twilight leaned over from her seat to give him a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek, before opening the passenger side door and stepping out, closing it behind her. Adagio was about to do the same, when Shining Armor spoke again.
“You two,” he said, craning his neck to get a better look at the girl and the dog behind him. “Keep an eye on Twilight for me, okay?”
Spike held up one of his paws and saluted Shining Armor. “Aye aye, captain!” he declared. Adagio merely nodded.
Shining Armor grabbed a pen from his glove compartment and scribbled something on a piece of paper, before handing it to Adagio.
“That’s my number. If anything happens, you give me a call, okay? Oh, and Cadance told me to tell you to have fun.”
“Thanks,” said Adagio, stuffing the paper into her pocket. A rapid-fire series of taps on her window made Adagio jump in surprise, before shooting Twilight a dejected look through the window.
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” she muttered, swinging open the door and allowing Spike to jump down before getting out herself.
The cool air was adrift with the muffled sounds of upbeat dance music emanating from the building before them. Shining Armor beeped his horn and Twilight waved to him as he drove away, leaving the two girls (and Spike) standing at the end of the driveway.
“You ready?” asked Twilight. She wrung her hands together nervously, stopping only when she realized Adagio was watching her.
“I’m here, aren’t I?” deflected Adagio.
Twilight reached down and took one of Adagio’s hand in her own, and began to lead her towards the door. Adagio put up no resistance, content to allow Twilight’s warm, familiar touch lead her down a path that could only end in disaster. They arrived at the front steps, and Twilight was reaching out to press the doorbell, when the door swung open, revealing the jubilant face of Pinkie Pie.
“Twilight!” she exclaimed, leaping forward and locking Twilight in an inescapable hug, dislodging her hand from Adagio’s. After a few seconds she let go (leaving Twilight gasping for air) and turned towards the other new arrivals.
“And you brought Spike and Adagio, too!”
Pinkie Pie lunged, but Adagio had seen what she did to Twilight was ready. She held her hand out in front of her, keeping the other girl at arm’s length.
“No hugs,” she said stiffly. A little voice in the back of her mind reminded her that she’d let Twilight hug her, but she quickly silenced it. That was Twilight. It was different.
Pinkie Pie, seemingly unphased by Adagio’s rejection, moved on to Spike, who proved more accepting of her affection.
“Oh yeah, that’s the stuff,” he said, kicking his leg as Pinkie Pie scratched behind his ears.
Twilight rolled her eyes at Spike, before turning her attention to Pinkie Pie. “Have any of the other girls arrived yet?”
“Applejack and Rarity,” said Pinkie Pie. “Sunset, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash are all on their way!”
“I can smell Rarity’s perfume from here,” noted Spike, sniffing the air. “That and… cupcakes?” His tail wagged madly and he dashed between Pinkie Pie’s legs and into the house. “I’ll see you girls later!”
“Spike– wait for us!” Twilight called after him, but it was too late. She sighed in exasperation. “We’d better go after him before he gets himself into trouble.”
“Okey-dokey-lokey!” recited Pinkie Pie, stepping aside to make room for Adagio to get by. Adagio hesitated for just a moment, reminded herself that she’d already come this far, and followed Twilight.
Applejack and Rarity might have been the only other Rainbooms to arrive yet, but they were definitely not the only other guests. Adagio might not have recognized most of them, but by the looks on the faces of those they passed in the hallway, they almost certainly recognized her.
“Hey, isn’t that–”
“What’s she doing here?”
Adagio grit her teeth and did her best not to look anyone in the eye. She felt like the general of a defeated army being paraded through the streets of an enemy capital. These were the students of Canterlot High, and there would be no hiding the truth from them. They knew exactly what Adagio had done, and what she was.
Adagio didn’t realize she’d stopped until Twilight took her hand once again.
“Come on,” she urged, not forcefully but gently and with an air of understanding. “I’m thirsty, why don’t we go grab something to drink?”
Adagio nodded, and once again allowed Twilight to lead the way.
Their first stop was the kitchen, and although Spike was nowhere to be seen, they did encounter Rarity chatting with a vaguely familiar boy with blue hair. Adagio would have been perfectly content to simply pass by, but Twilight did not share her antisocial intentions.
“Hey, Rarity!” said Twilight, approaching the pair. Adagio lurked sullenly behind her. “And, ah, hi, Flash.”
Flash. Flash Sentry. The name popped into her head and she suddenly remembered how she knew this boy. Like the others he was a student of Canterlot High, but, more specifically, he had also played in the Battle of the Bands. His was one of the few performances that hadn’t been, well, terrible, and if Adagio had remembered someone as insignificant as him, there was no question he would remember her.
Flash raised his hand in an awkward greeting, only to have it go limp when he caught sight of Adagio. His brow furrowed and he opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off by Rarity.
“Twilight, darling!” cried Rarity, holding out her arms and engaging Twilight in yet another hug. “And I see you’re here with Adagio! How are you, dear?”
Caught off guard by being suddenly dragged into the conversation, Adagio’s only response was a sort of half shrug.
“Hold on,” said Flash, looking hopelessly confused. “You guys are friends now?”
“But of course!” said Rarity. “We try to befriend everyone we hit with a laser!”
Flash scratched his head. “That’s… true. I guess.”
“We were just grabbing something to drink,” said Twilight. As enthusiastic as she’d been to greet Rarity, Twilight didn’t seem all that interested in talking to Flash.
“Well, you’ve come to the right place!” Rarity held out her arm towards the island in the middle of the kitchen, upon which rested a variety of drinks. “Let’s see here. We have a lovely sparkling orange juice which I brought, apple cider – courtesy of Applejack, of course – and a variety of pop. Oh, and Pinkie Pie’s punch, though, I can’t recommend that unless you’re planning to see a dentist sometime soon.”
Flash glanced uneasily at the plastic cup in his hand, before pouring its contents down the sink.
“I think I’ll just have some water, thanks,” said Twilight, grabbing an empty cup from a stack on the counter. Flash bumbled his way away from the sink, only to find himself in Twilight’s way as she approached the refrigerator.
“Sorry,” he muttered, stepping aside, but Twilight ignored him and produced a water pitcher to fill her glass.
“Would you like any, Adagio?”
“No, thanks,” said Adagio. Twilight’s treatment of Flash was surprisingly distant, and if Adagio didn’t know any better, almost cold. Very different from the Twilight Adagio was used to, and she wasn’t sure quite what to think. She might have had more time to ponder this curious behaviour, if not for Pinkie Pie’s voice cutting through the din of the party.
“Hey, everybody, Timber’s here!”
Adagio’s mouth morphed instantaneously into a snarl, and if she had been holding a cup she most assuredly would have crushed it as her fingers curled into fists. Her heart pounded in her ears like the beating of war drums, and her breathing became quick and uneven. If there was one human being whose presence could have made this night even worse, it was Timber.
Luckily for Adagio, no one was looking at her, for when Pinkie Pie had made her announcement, Twilight’s jaw had dropped… and so had her cup.
Cold water splashed over the ankles of the assembled teenagers, sending Rarity leaping backwards with a surprised shriek. She clutched Flash’s shoulder who, for his part, took the whole thing rather well.
“Oh, shoot, I’m sorry!” said Twilight, snapping out of her daze and surveying the mess she’d made.
“It’s quite alright, it’s just a bit of water,” said Rarity, doing her best to hide her grimace. “I didn’t realize Timber would be making an appearance tonight.”
Twilight frowned. “Neither did I.”
Rarity blinked. She stole a quick look at Adagio (who cocked an eyebrow at her) before looking back to Twilight. She cleared her throat.
“I should probably go out there,” said Twilight. She bit her lip and looked back at Adagio.
Adagio was reminded of earlier in the week when Timber had called Twilight during their study session. At the time, Adagio had assumed Twilight’s reaction was irritation over the interruption, but seeing the look on her face now… well, this certainly wasn’t the sickening doe-eyed expression she’d worn the last time he showed up unannounced. Something was different.
Something, but not everything. Although the irrational part of Adagio’s brain wanted nothing more than to witness Twilight spurn Timber’s advances, it was outvoted by the parts that didn’t want to see Timber at all. She was certain that Twilight was going to ask Adagio to come with her, and Adagio really did not want to have to tell her no. Fortunately, she didn’t have to.
Rarity took a step forward, slipped dramatically on the wet floor, and caught herself on the kitchen’s island, knocking over a large jug of cider in the process. The cider spilled over the countertop and onto the tiled floor below (conveniently, Adagio noted, away from Rarity’s shoes), creating an even larged mess.
“Oh my, how clumsy of me!” declared Rarity. She grabbed a roll of paper towel off the counter and held it out towards Adagio. “Adagio, would you be a dear help clean this up while Flash and I look for a mop?”
Adagio opened her mouth, but the paper towel had already been thrust into her arms, and Flash was being dragged out of the kitchen.
“Do we really need both of us to–”
“Yes!” interrupted Rarity, giving him a pointed look as they disappeared around a corner.
Twilight looked sheepishly at Adagio. “I guess I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”
“Yeah,” said Adagio.
For several seconds neither of them moved. Twilight wrung her hands together, and looked for a moment as if she was going to say something, but stopped herself. Eventually she turned and walked out of the kitchen and out of sight.
Adagio’s fingers clenched, digging into the roll of paper towel like a set of talons. She wanted to leave, but that would be declaring to the world (but mostly to Twilight) that… what? That the presence of Timber was enough to drive her away? She was allowed to not like someone, wasn’t she? But even as she asked herself these questions, she already knew that she couldn’t go through with it. Leaving felt like admitting defeat, but defeat in what, Adagio wasn’t quite sure. She just knew it was a battle she wanted – no, needed – to win.
In her frustration she threw the roll of paper towel on the floor, where it bounced once before coming to rest in the mixed pool of water and cider. She watched as the liquid was absorbed by the towels, turning them soggy and brown as it crept further into the roll like a festering rot. Of course, Flash and Rarity chose that moment to return from their search.
“So you really think she–”
Rarity hushed him as the pair entered the kitchen, mop and bucket in hand.
“Darling, you’re supposed to unravel the towels before you – it doesn’t matter. Let’s get started, shall we?”
As it turned out, ‘let’s get started’ was code for ‘let’s let Flash do it,’ as before long the two girls were standing idly as Flash Sentry mopped up a mess he played no part in creating.
“Are you sure there’s nothing we can do, Flash?” asked Rarity.
“No,” said Flash, hefting the bucket off the floor with a grunt, “I’m pretty much done. Just need to find a place to dump this.”
“If you go through the living room there’s a door to the back yard. I’m sure you can find somewhere to dispose of it out there.”
Flash nodded and took a tentative step forward. The brown water sloshed in the bucket, but he was able to adjust his grip to avoid spilling any onto the freshly cleaned floor.
“Adagio, would you mind helping him with that?”
Hearing her name dragged Adagio back into the conversation to which she’d only been paying partial attention. She tore her eyes away from the doorway Twilight had disappeared down, and gave Rarity a puzzled look.
“I’m sorry, what?” she asked.
“Help Flash, dear,” repeated Rarity. “You know, get the door for him, make sure no one bumps into him. The last thing we need is another mess.”
Adagio was about to turn her down – she was no lackey, after all – when she heard it. Adagio had never heard Timber Spruce’s laugh before, but from the way the sound cut through her and brought bile to her throat, there was no doubt in Adagio’s mind it was him. She knew immediately that she had to get away, and while she had no desire to shepherd Flash Sentry through a house crowded with teenagers, it was a good excuse as any.
“Fine,” said Adagio, curtly. “Come on, Flash.”
“Right behind you,” he replied.
Fortunately, there was an exit from the kitchen into the living room that did not involve crossing paths with Timber Spruce. It did, however, involve more dirty looks and whispers from the students of Canterlot High as the two fought their way through the crowd. At first, it seemed as if they were simply content to stare and gossip, but as they entered the final stretch towards the door, a girl stepped in front of Adagio, blocking their way.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie demands to know what she is doing here.”
“Excuse me?”
But Trixie wasn’t looking at Adagio – a fact that infuriated her all the more – and was instead looking straight past her at Flash Sentry.
“Same thing you are, Trixie, now, can you get out of the way?”
Trixie harrumphed, but didn’t budge. “I doubt that. The last time anyone saw her she was trying to brainwash everyone and steal Trixie’s spotlight, and you really expect me to believe she just happens to show up tonight?”
“I’m standing right here,” growled Adagio.
Trixie finally met her gaze with a baleful glare. “So what is it this time?” she asked. “Are you going to use your Siren Magic to make us all fail our exams?”
If Adagio was in a better mood she might have laughed at the absurd notion, or at the accompanying waggling of Trixie’s fingers, but instead she simply felt annoyed. Taking Adagio’s lack of response as a sign of weakness, Trixie continued.
“Oh, that’s right, you don’t have magic anymore, do you?”
Trixie had gone too far. It was enough that she had to deal with the presence of Timber Spruce, but asking her to suffer through the insults of a two-bit hack was asking too much. Adagio felt her fingernails digging into her palms and her hands begin to shake.
“Shut up,” she said.
“What was that?” asked Trixie, cupping a hand to her ear. “I didn’t quite catch that.”
“I said shut up!”
Trixie puffed out her chest. “Make me.”
Adagio wasn’t sure what she was going to do. Lash out, yell, but she was certain things between the two girls would have escalated if Flash Sentry hadn’t interposed himself between them.
“That’s enough, Trixie!”
“But she–”
“I don’t care,” said Flash, cutting her off. “All I know is that this bucket is really heavy, so if you don’t move before my arms give out, it’s going all over you.”
Trixie glanced down into murky liquid and wrinkled her nose in disgust. With a great deal of reluctance she stepped out of the way.
“I’ll be watching you,” she sneered.
“Good,” said Adagio, sliding open the door. “I hear it’s a good view.”
Trixie’s cheeks reddened and she stormed off as Adagio and Flash stepped through the door and out onto a wooden deck. Adagio slid the door closed behind them to discourage any more disgruntled CHS students from airing their grievances.
“Sorry about her,” said Flash. He waddled across the deck, lifting the bucket up and dumping its contents over the side.
“It’s fine,” said Adagio. As obnoxious as Trixie had been, Adagio could at least understand where she was coming from. It was only natural to want to confront your enemies, especially when they were weak – and Adagio was all too aware of the weakness of her human body. “Sorry Rarity roped you into cleaning up her mess.”
Flash shrugged and leaned against the railing. “It’s alright. Honestly, I was looking for a reason to get out of there anyway.”
Adagio cocked an eyebrow. “Why?”
Flash sighed. “It’s kind of complicated, kind of stupid, but, well, I sort of had this… thing. For Twilight. Not this Twilight – the other one. You know–?”
“I know,” said Adagio.
“Right, well, it’s kind of weird for me. I know they’re not the same person, but it’s still strange going from… whatever it was that we had, to not even getting a second glance. I guess it’s sort of the opposite for you, huh?”
Adagio didn’t respond. Flash might have struggled with the two Twilights, but to Adagio they were two altogether different people. There was one girl named Twilight who was her enemy, and another who was her…
...Friend.
“Anyway, call it whatever you want, but seeing her with Timber just drudges that stuff back up. So instead of sucking it up like an adult, I figured coming out here and hiding from my problems would be easier. Like I said, kind of stupid, huh?”
“Kind of,” said Adagio, wallowing once again in her hypocrisy. She rested her elbows on the railing and stared up into the endless black expanse above. The crescent moon smiled coyly down at her, and she wondered idly whether the twinkling stars that surrounded it were the same ones that shined over Equestria.
They stayed like that for a while, two kindred spirits alone together. Eventually, Flash stretched and stood up straight.
“I’d better get back in there. You coming?”
“Not yet,” said Adagio, still watching the stars.
“Alright, well, it’s getting chilly out here. Don’t stay out too long, okay?”
Adagio nodded, and heard the opening and closing of the sliding door as Flash Sentry left her to face their shared demon.
She wasn’t sure how long she was out there, staring at the sky and listening to the muted music echoing from within, but as the night grew darker Flash’s prediction came true and the temperature began to drop rapidly. Adagio did her best to ignore it, but after a few more tortuous minutes her body had had enough and she was forced to admit defeat. Fumbling with her shivering fingers, she managed to pry open the glass door and re-enter the party.
It must have been an ominous sight to behold: Adagio, the monster, stepping in from the darkness, her skin pale and her hair billowing in a chill wind. Several of the nearby students stepped back in alarm, and among them Adagio recognized Applejack. She didn’t share the same look of suspicion as the others when they managed to compose themselves, but she did look like she was considering approaching Adagio, and somehow that was worse.
Not wanting to give her the chance, Adagio took the opportunity to dash through the crowd. It was rather conspicuous (it was hard not to be with such a volume of vibrant orange hair) but quick, for without Trixie around, none of the others were brave enough to get in Adagio’s way.
Once she’d broken free of the mob of students she took a sharp turn down a previously unexplored hallway. In Adagio’s second stroke of (good) luck for the evening, the hallway was devoid of people, and it didn’t take her long to figure out why. Each of the doors were affixed with a homemade sign, and though each of them was written in a different color and surrounded with a variety of doodles that reminded Adagio of something Sonata might have drawn, they were all written with the same words:
‘Family is taking Maud to tour universities. Do not enter!’
Adagio rolled her eyes and chose a door at random. She could hide out here until Timber left (how she’d know when he was gone, she hadn’t figured out yet) without risking anyone finding her. Sure, she was violating the privacy of Pinkie Pie’s family, but given the choice between that and risking having to look at Timber’s stupid face, the choice was an easy one.
The door creaked open, casting a thin beam of light into the darkened room. Adagio fumbled in search of a lightswitch (her fingers were no longer numb, but bristling with pain as if their tips were being jabbed with tiny, fiery pokers) and was eventually rewarded with the sight of a surprisingly plain bedroom. At first, she thought she might have stumbled into a guest room from the utter lack of personal touches, but the slightly ajar closet revealed several sets of clothes remarkable only in how unremarkable they were. Muted colors, dull designs, all made of materials that made Adagio itchy just looking at them. There was a full length mirror hanging on one of the walls, and inside it Adagio’s reflection stared back at her with flushed cheeks and a nose red from the cold. She also noticed a terrarium of some kind, but its light was off and it seemed empty.
“This can’t be Pinkie Pie’s room,” muttered Adagio, and she nearly jumped out of her skin when a response came from behind her.
“Nope, hers is the one next door.”
Adagio spun around. Spike stared up at her, crumbs sticking to his snout and his tail wagging jovially. He must have come through door that Adagio had neglected to close all the way – a mistake that she was quick to rectify.
“What are you doing in here?” asked Spike.
“I could ask you the same question,” replied Adagio.
“I saw you come in here and followed you,” said Spike. “Twilight’s looking for you.”
“Is Timber still with her?”
“Yeah, they’re always together when he’s in town,” said Spike with a chuckle. Adagio’s expression darkened. “Is something wrong?”
“No,” lied Adagio.
“Are you sure? You don’t look very happy.”
Adagio pressed her back against the wall and allowed herself to slide down into a sitting position. “That’s because I’m not.”
“Well,” said Spike, “I know how to fix that!”
Adagio looked at him skeptically. “Do you now?”
Spike nodded. “Yup.”
“And how would we do that?”
“The first step is to get out of this room and head back into the party.”
The image of Timber kissing Twilight flashed across Adagio’s mind. “Pass.”
Spike’s ears drooped. “So you’re just going to sit in here by yourself?”
“That was my plan.”
“So why’d you even come?”
She’d come because she wanted to spend time with Twilight.
“I don’t know.”
Adagio rested her head on the wall behind her and closed her eyes. So, now she was lying to dogs. This had to be a new low.
As Adagio pondered what she could tell Spike to convince him to return to the party without her (and without revealing her hiding spot), the telltale rattling of a turning doorknob. Her eyes shot open and darted towards the door, only to find it stationary. Realization dawned on her: whoever it was, they weren’t entering this room, but the one adjacent to it. Pinkie’s room. Adagio barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief before a voice from the other side of the wall made her heart leap into her throat.
“Twilight...”
It might have been hard to hear over the muffled sounds of partying, but the voice was unmistakable. Timber Spruce seemed destined to haunt her, and he had brought Twilight Sparkle along just to rub it in.
But no, that wasn’t it. Timber didn’t exist purely to torment her (though it certainly felt that way), and he couldn’t have known where Adagio was or that she could hear him. There had to be another reason he had secreted himself away from the party. Into a bedroom. With Twilight.
Adagio’s breath hitched and suddenly she was overcome with a wave of nausea. Her body seized up, leaving her at the mercy of what was about to happen in the next room.
“Just a second, Timber,” said Twilight, “I’m just going to call her and see where she is. It should only take a minute.”
Adagio’s heart resumed beating, and with it came a sudden rush of adrenaline. Of course, Twilight had wanted somewhere quiet to make a phone call! Twilight wouldn’t – she would never…
“Before you do that, there was something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Can it wait until afterwards?”
“No, I… I don’t think it can.”
Timber’s voice didn’t hold the boundless confidence that Adagio remembered. He sounded uncertain. Vulnerable. Apparently Twilight noticed this, too, as Adagio could hear the concern in her own voice when she responded.
“Okay,” she said. “What is it?”
There was a pause, and by straining her ears, Adagio thought she could hear the sound of someone pacing back and forth.
“It’s just...” There was another pause as Timber struggled to find the words he wanted to use. “Are you sure she didn’t, you know, leave?”
“I’m sure,” said Twilight. “I know Adagio, she wouldn’t leave without telling me.”
“Do you, though? Twilight, this isn’t exactly a big house. If she was still here–”
“What’s this about, Timber?” interrupted Twilight, before letting her voice soften to the point that Adagio could barely hear her through the wall. “Talk to me.”
Timber sighed. “I’m sorry, Twilight. I was just hoping we’d get to spend some time together tonight, have some fun, but this whole time you’ve been distracted looking for someone else.”
Adagio felt a twinge of guilt. Twilight hadn’t spent her night hanging off Timber’s arm, she’d spent it looking for her.
“Timber, I didn’t even know you were coming, and I promised her–”
“I know,” said Timber. “Believe me, I get it. It’s just...” He trailed off again, leaving the room(s) in another brief silence.
“Timber,” said Twilight, hesitantly, “are you… jealous?”
“Can you blame me? She gets to see you every day. You talk for hours on end, and even when you get home and call me, all you can talk about is how much fun you had and what you’re going to do next time you see her.
“Don’t get me wrong – I love it when you’re happy. When I listen to you talk about something you’re excited about – the way you talk faster so you can tell me about it as soon as you can, and the adorable way you start stumbling over your words – I can’t help but grin like an idiot and be thankful that a girl like you would give a guy like me the time of day.
“Or, at least, I used to. For the past week I’ve had this… feeling, like my stomach is tied in a knot and someone is pulling on either end. Why, though? Shouldn’t it be enough knowing that you’re happy, even if I’m not involved? But I can’t shake the feeling that, one of these days, you’ll realize that you’re happier when I’m not around, or that calling me every night is starting to become a chore and that I’m holding you back from being even happier. I’m not going to lie, it’s not a good feeling. But how messed up is that? Even saying it outloud makes me disgusted with myself – how can hearing about how happy you are make me feel so bad? I’m scared I’ll lose you, but I’m even more scared that I’m turning into one of those horrible, controlling boyfriends you hear about – the kind that don’t want their girlfriends talking to anyone but them – and even the thought of doing that to you sickens me.
“I thought that maybe it was because of how we left things after the movie. Sure, we made up over text, but maybe actually seeing you would be enough to get these stupid thoughts out of my head, you know? So when you told me about the party I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to get rid of these doubts once and for all. After everything you told me, I never thought she’d come to a Canterlot High party, and yet… here we are. Every time I looked at you tonight, you were looking over your shoulder for her, and, though I hated myself for it, I couldn't help but think ‘why her?’”
As Timber finished his outburst, Adagio sat in shocked silence, trying to process everything he’d said. Timber Spruce was jealous? Of her? It seemed impossible, but there it was. Not only was he jealous, but the jealousy was eating him up inside, and to Adagio’s surprise she felt… bad. Why did she feel bad? She didn’t like Timber – until now she’d loathed him almost as much as the Rainbooms – but his misery brought her no comfort, no warm feeling of satisfaction. Instead, she just felt empty.
“Why didn’t you tell me how you felt?” asked Twilight. Her voice was trembling.
“Because I was scared of what you might say,” said Timber.
“You should never be scared to talk to me.”
“I know, which is why I’m going to ask you a question, and I want you to promise you’ll tell me the truth. I know you will, I just want to hear you say it. Can you do that?”
“Okay,” said Twilight, “I promise.”
Timber took a deep breath, held it, and let it out. “Twilight,” he said, “do you–”
“Sprinkles!”
Pinkie Pie’s voice echoed through the house, followed immediately by the eruption of what Adagio could only assume was fireworks. The cacophony was enough to drown out whatever was being said in the other room for several seconds, and the cheers that came after it for even longer. When the volume of the party returned to its previous level, Adagio pressed her ear to the wall (abandoning all semblance of not eavesdropping), trying to catch what was being said. At first, she thought they might have left during the uproar, but after a few long seconds, she heard Timber speak again.
“Okay.”
“Timber, I’m sorry, I–”
“It’s okay,” he repeated. Much like Adagio felt, his voice sounded hollow. “Look, I’d better get going. It’s a long drive home and I… I’ll see you around.”
The doorknob turned again, and someone stepped out.
“I’m sorry,” said Twilight again. Adagio heard one sniff, then another, followed by a sob that took her cold, shriveled heart and shattered it into a thousand pieces. She didn’t think, instead she just stood and moved immediately to the door. The door was barely open a crack before she felt Spike dash through her legs, his mind undoubtedly consumed by the same all-consuming thought as hers:
I have to get to Twilight.
Adagio followed him, only to stop dead in her tracks. Standing in the hallway, one arm braced against the far wall and his head hanging low, was Timber.
He glanced at her for a split second, before averting his gaze.
“Oh, there you are,” he said, his voice wavering but still doing its best to sound friendly. “Twilight, she – uh – she’s in there. I think… I think she needs to talk to you.”
Timber let his arm drop and turned away from her. “I was just leaving. Maybe I’ll talk to Pinkie Pie on the way out about those darn leaky pipes.”
Pipes?
Timber wiped his face with his sleeve, leaving behind an unmistakable trail of moisture.
Adagio understood.
“Take care of her for me, okay?”
Adagio could only nod dumbly, but Timber didn’t turn around to see before he began walking down the hallway and out of her life.
“Adagio!”
Spike stood in front of the closed door, staring up at her desperately with his tail tucked between his legs. Adagio wasted no more time, grasping the knob and pulling the door open.
Adagio would later notice the pictures on the walls, the balloons, and all the other touches that made this room feel like Pinkie Pie, but right now all she could see was Twilight. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her head in her hands, and a steady stream of tears running down her arms. And the sounds she was making… it was all Adagio could do not to cry herself. Once again, Spike darted past her, sprinting over to Twilight and putting his front paws on her legs. She opened her eyes.
“Oh, Spike...”
She lifted him up, drawing him into a tight embrace that he returned with licks and nuzzles.
The sound of the door closing made Twilight look up in alarm.
“Adagio,” said Twilight. Their eyes met, and for a split second the tears stopped. “Timber… he–”
And then it all came out. Twilight did her best to silence her sobs, but there was no stopping it now. Adagio closed the distance between them in two long steps, taking a seat on the bed next to her. Her mind cried out in protest – she didn’t know what to do! She was used to making people cry, not comforting them! – but luckily her body knew what to do. One arm wrapped around Twilight, pulling her close, and the other closed around one of Twilight’s own. She gasped.
“Your hands are freezing!”
“Sorry.” She tried to release Twilight’s hand, only for the girl to squeeze it tightly and refuse to let go, before burrowing her face into Adagio’s shoulder. This close, Adagio could feel every sob that wracked Twilight’s body. Every tear that soaked into her shirt. Every beat of Twilight’s broken heart.
“It’s okay, Twilight Sparkle,” she said, softly. “I’m here.”
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Heh!
Knowing how these things normally go (and having forgotten Timber's eye color entirely), I figured the only green-eyed monster would be Adagio, then guessed it would be a jerk-for-no-good-reason Flash and someone would get short-tempered and a senseless argument would bring tragedy, but all guesses were wrong, which was really gratifying!
Using Timber to outline Adagio's feelings (at least for the most part) was well done too, and all accomplished without demonizing anyone* for the sake of drama!
*Trixie was Trixie, but it was as in-character for her (who seems to be a less successful version of the old Sunset as canon goes on, right down to apparently having Snips and Snails follow her around. Of course, they were originally her lackeys (for lack of better words) in the main series, so I guess she's not stealing Sunset's shtick so much as stealing it back) as when Rainbow did it, so I feel like it works.
Also,
Should that be Adagio's shoulder? Or did Twilight squeeze her hand only to burrow into herself?
I love Adagio.
Anyway, I actually really liked this chapter. Heck, you made me feel sorry for Timber Spruce! Like, for real. While I may not like him that much as a character, I am glad you chose to get rid of him in a way that kept his dignity intact...and lead to more delicious drama as a result.
I also greatly enjoy Adagio's character development. Somehow, her slowly turning into a better person over time while still keeping her legendary sass makes her a very compelling character to read about. Now I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.
8621515
Fixed! Good catch, I'm embarrassed to have missed it.
I do feel bad for giving Trixie the short end of the stick, but at least it isn't Fleur this time
8621517
I can't tell you how glad I am to hear that. I was worried about how the Timber scene would come across, so I'm really happy to hear it had its intended effect!
Thanks so much for commenting!
My heeeeeeeeeaaaarrrrt
8621589
I'm sorry!
Interesting interaction between Adagio and Flash. Both of them hearthbroken for a Twilight.
Wow, that did not go how I was expecting at first. Thought for sure Adagio would make a spectacle of herself in front of everyone, and be the one to leave in tears. Pleasantly surprised, even if you actually managed to make me feel bad for Timber. Anyway, excellent chapter!
8621698
I guess you could call it a... Misdirection.
8621700
Hm, this seems a lot like the war is over and Twilight won.
Another splendid chapter, there is nothing else to say. everything that happened in this chapter was taken care of very well. I do not regret having put this story among my favorites.
P.S: Despite being a superfan of SciSet, I can not help but say in this story: Go Adagio! The road to the heart of Twilight is free!
I've gotta say I absolutely loved this chapter! Generally this story is always going to be one that I'm looking forward to seeing updated in my notifications but this chapter seemed to be the climax of a lot that's been happening in the story up until now. The character development and growth seems to be at an all time high and even those who we've barely seen any of are portrayed perfectly!
I absolutely adore your interpretations of every character in this chapter, Rarity especially, the incredible amount of dramatics in every action even her speaking: “But of course!” said Rarity. “We try to befriend everyone we hit with a laser!” is wonderful and I imagined that scene and many others had a lot of gesticulating.
Also, you've managed to write a Flash Sentry that I don't want to suplex, congrats ^^'
I really can't wait to see where it goes!
Keep up the awesome work, love ya <3
No update in 1 1/2 months after how last chapter ended.
media1.tenor.com/images/bb72bd6f3c60300f9e9beb82286dae23/tenor.gif
8715820
The next chapter is written, but I've been traveling a lot so between my other responsibilities I haven't had the time to edit it yet. But I get home this week, so I'm thinking it will go up next week.
Assuming I don't realize it's terrible before then, anyway.
Hmm I almost feel bad for Timber. Almost.
When I saw the title referring to a green eyed monster, I assumed that it was Adagio. I guess that not having seen all of "Legends of the Everfree", I can't say too much about Timber Spruce. But even then, losing out in a relationship sucks, and I do feel at least a bit sorry for him.